African Union CIEFFA 9th High-Level Dialogue on Gender Equality in Education

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February 11, 2025

MEDIA ADVISORY

African Union CIEFFA 9^th High-Level Dialogue on Gender Equality in Education

Theme: “Investing in girls' education systems as a form of reparation, justice and sustainable development for African communities”
INVITATION TO REPRESENTATIVES OF THE MEDIA

What: African Union CIEFFA 9^th High-Level Dialogue on Gender Equality in Education

Theme: “Investing in girls' education systems as a form of reparation, justice and sustainable development for African communities’’

Venue: Small Conference Hall 3, AUC Headquarters, Addis Ababa, Ethiopia

When: February 11, 2025

Time: 8:30 am – 5:00 pm EAT / GMT +3

Speakers:

H.E. Prof. Mohammed Belhocine, Commissioner, ESTI, AUC
H.E. Madalitso Wirima Kambauwa, Minister of Education, Republic of Malawi
H.E. Moustapha Mamba Guirassy, Minister of National Education, Republic of Senegal
H.E. Khatri Addouh, Minister of Education and Vocational Training, the Sahrawi Arab Democratic Republic
H.E. Mamadou Gana Boukar, Minister of National Education and Civic Promotion, the Republic of Chad
Hon. Bangirinama Frederic, Permanent Secretary at the Ministry of National Education and Scientific Research, Republic of Burundi
H.E. Stian Christensen, Ambassador to the Norwegian Permanent Delegation to the AU

Why:

The African Union International Center for Girls and Women’s Education in Africa (AU/CIEFFA), a specialized office under the African Union Department of Education, Science, Technology, and Innovation (ESTI), is organizing the 9^th High-Level Dialogue (HLD) on Gender Equality in Education. This dialogue will take place at the African Union Commission Headquarters in Addis Ababa, Ethiopia, on February 11, 2025, under the theme, “Investing in girls' education systems as a form of reparation, justice and sustainable development for African communities”.

The event, to be held on the margins of the 38^th Ordinary Session of the AU Assembly of Heads of State and Government Summit, will interrogate the status of girls' education in Africa and notably underpin the necessity of investing in girls' education as a form of justice and a tool for development in line with the AU’s 2025 theme of the year. The meeting will address persistent challenges in achieving gender equality in education, which remains a critical issue in many African Union Member States.

The dialogue will further provide a platform for policymakers, experts, and activists to exchange ideas, share successful best practices, and develop actionable strategies to address these challenges.

This Dialogue builds on the outcomes of the 1^st Pan-African Conference on Girls and Women’s Education in Africa (AU-PANCOGEd1), held in 2024. It also aligns with the ongoing continental campaign #AfricaEducatesHer, which seeks to strengthen policies and legislation to ensure girls' access, retention, and completion within African education systems.

Objectives:

Share the overall status of girls’ education on the continent and make links with the repatriation and justice mandate.
Launch the Continental Report on the Status of girls’ Education in Africa, co-produced with UNESCO IIEP as an outcome of the implementation of the theme of the year,
Share best practices of successful strategies, policies, and programs that have established accountability mechanisms for promoting and protecting girls' education.
Document AU Member States' commitments to gender equality in education and how partners can support efforts to accelerate gender equality in and through education in Africa in line with the adopted Call for Action and Recommendations of the AU PACONGEd1.
Raise awareness about the importance of promoting gender-responsive policies and practices and their impact on justice, equity, and sustainable development.
Offer member states and partners an opportunity to commit to supporting, investing in, and funding girls’ education in Africa in line with the #AfricaEducatesHer.

Outcomes:

Understanding of the overall status of girls Education in Africa, and how investing in girls’ education is a form of justice and sustainable development.
Best practices and successful strategies, policies, and programs on accountability mechanisms have been shared and discussed.

African Union Member States' commitments to gender equality in education in Africa are documented, developed, and agreed upon.
Awareness advocacy and strategies promoting gender-responsive policies and practices and their impact on justice, equity, and sustainable development are discussed.
Commitments are made to invest and raise funds to support girls’ education in Africa in line with the implementation of the #AfricaEducatesHer.

Participants:

The African Union Department of ESTI convenes the 9^th High-Level Dialogue through the AU CIEFFA and in collaboration with the Republic of Chad, and the Republic of Senegal. The envisioned participants are Ministers of Education and Gender from AU member states, Representatives of Regional Economic Communities (RECs), Representatives from UNESCO, UNICEF, UN Girls' Education Initiative (UNGEI), UN WOMEN, and other development partners.

High Officials, Education and Gender Equality experts; Development Partners, Religious and Traditional leaders, Philanthropies, Civil Society Organizations (CSO); Youth and Advocates of Girls and Women's Education.

Editor’s Note:

African Union International Centre for Girls’ and Women’s Education in Africa

The International Centre for the Education of Girls and Women in Africa (AU CIEFFA) is a specialized institution of the African Union since 2004, dealing with women and girls’ education following Decision Assembly/AU/DEC.44 (III). It is under the AUC Department of Education, Science, Technology and Innovation (ESTI). The Centre seeks to promote girls and women’s education in view of promoting their full participation in eradicating poverty and edifying a peaceful world for sustainable human development. http://cieffa.au.int

Media representatives are invited to cover the African Union CIEFFA 9^th High-Level Dialogue on Gender Equality in Education on 11 February 2025 from 8:30 am – 5:00 pm EAT / GMT +3

For further information, please contact:

Ms. Azwe Success Barbara, Communications Officer | AU CIEFFA | WhatsApp: +226 64 90 44 95 | E-mail: BarbaraS@africa-union.org | Ouagadougou, Burkina Faso

Gamal Eldin Ahmed A. Karrar, Senior Communication Officer, Information and Communication Directorate | African Union Commission | Tel: +251 904 138 354 | E-mail: gamalk@africa-union.org | Addis Ababa, Ethiopia